Good dental care can improve your health

No one loves going to the dentist, but having healthy teeth and gums is one of the best ways of making sure your overall health is at its best.

Kellie K. SpeedMore Content Now

As adults, we all know the importance of getting regular dental cleanings. No one loves going to the dentist, but having healthy teeth and gums is one of the best ways of making sure your overall health is at its best. A healthy smile comes from good oral hygiene, which can lead to a healthier you. To get on a healthy track early on in life, dentists recommend seeing young patients before the age of 1 year old.

"We usually recommend what the ADA says, which is having a child be seen by a dentist within the first six months of a tooth eruption," Diane Sullivan, practice manager at Dentistry for Children in Weymouth, said. "This visit really is an education visit for Mom so we can talk about getting kids in early and how to brush their teeth. Usually the first checkup after that is done around age 3. This varies and could be done earlier depending on the child. Cleanings for children, like adults, should be done every six months from there on. If you bring your child in early, we can see early detections of issues like teeth crowding."

Dr. Jim Fukuda of Dentistry for Children believes it is important for children to be seen at least once by age 1.

"It's like going to a pediatrician for a well-child visit," he said. "It's more for preventative care. We review the home care, like pacifier use and not putting the child to bed with a bottle. Usually by age 3, they can sit in the chair for a full cleaning and fluoride treatment. From there, we recommend regular cleanings every six months because, for kids, cavities can get big quickly, more so than adults, so it's important to keep regular checkups to be sure the children's teeth and gums are healthy."

Poor oral health has been shown to later lead to other health complications like heart disease and digestive issues. To prevent this, practice good oral hygiene at home. Brush your teeth for up to three minutes twice a day using fluoridated toothpaste. (An electric toothbrush works best.) Follow with an intense flossing to remove plaque buildup.

"We start patients typically around 3 years old so they get familiarized with how to clean their teeth properly," said Kim Nawoichik, a certified dental assistant at Artistic Dentistry of Hanover. "We promote good oral health in the school systems, and, in the month of February, we see about 1,200 kids in the schools in preschool and first grade. We teach them it's OK to come to the dentist and it's not scary."

If your gums start to bleed when you are flossing, continue to floss regularly until the bleeding stops.

"Bacteria in the gums can affect a person's overall health," Lisa Bracken, a dental hygienist at Incredible Dental of Avon, said. "If you have moderate to severe periodontal disease, it can get into the bloodstream, which can affect the heart. Going to the dentist early will prevent further long-term issues. Studies have found that when there is a buildup of plaque in the arteries, some of it has been determined to be dental plaque. With diabetes, it can really affect the gums, as it is harder to stabilize the blood sugar levels. The most important factor to having healthy gums is flossing."

Be sure to eat a healthy diet that is not laden with sugar to prevent further gum disease and deterioration. Avoid smoking cigarettes, which can lead to health issues such as oral cancer. Most importantly, have regular dental checkups so that early signs of periodontal disease can be detected.

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